Symwave CTO, Christopher Thomas Honored by IEEE for Contributions to 1394r-2008 Standardization Efforts

Business Wire, Oct 13, 2008

Award Further Demonstrates Symwave's Innovation and Technology Leadership for High-Speed Connectivity Solutions

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. -- Symwave, Inc., a supplier of high-performance analog/mixed-signal semiconductor solutions for the PC, consumer and mobile devices, today announced that Christopher Thomas, its chief technology officer and co-founder, has been selected by the IEEE Microprocessor Standards Committee to receive an award for his contributions to the IEEE1394r-2008 (commonly called FireWire[R]), 1.6Gbit/s and 3.2Gbit/s electrical working specifications. The award will be presented at a dinner ceremony held on October 13, 2008 in Las Gatos, California.

Mr. Thomas served as the chair and editor of the S1600 and S3200 sections of the 1394r-2008 standardization efforts throughout 2006 and 2007. In this role, Mr. Thomas led the standard defining the operation and specifications for next generation FireWire devices operating at speeds of 1.6Gbit/s and 3.2Gbit/s. Devices complying with the 1394r-2008 standard operate at either double or quadruple the 800Mbit/s data rate of previous Firewire devices while incorporating significant improvements to the functionality of the devices.

In accordance with the IEEE 1394r-2008 standard and led by Mr. Thomas' efforts, Symwave demonstrated the world's first 1.6Gb/s Firewire 1394b physical layer (PHY) IC in April 2008.

About the IEEE 1394 Standards Effort

The IEEE 1394 (a.k.a. FireWire[R]) standards effort started in 1986 at the request of the membership of the IEEE Microcomputer Standards Committee to unify the different serial buses originally proposed as parts of the IEEE 1014 VME, IEEE 1296 Multibus II, and IEEE 896 FutureBus [R] efforts. As the proposed standard was developed, it attracted interest from vendors requiring improved external I/O interconnects for multimedia information and for mass storage. The resulting standard integrated advanced features including support for isochronous transport, much higher data rates, and a more rugged cable and connector system.

About Symwave

Symwave is a fabless semiconductor company that designs, develops and markets high-performance analog/mixed-signal integrated circuits and system solutions. The Company specializes in the design and development of high-speed, standards-based Serial Physical Layer ICs (PHYs) and high-performance, low-power Analog Front End ICs (AFEs) leveraging its proprietary mixed-signal technology and silicon design capabilities. Symwave is focused on defining, developing and delivering best-in-class/first-in-class integrated circuit solutions for customers leveraging its world-class analog/mixed-signal IC design team and its broad IP portfolio. Symwave is a privately held company funded in 2004 with headquarters in Orange County, CA and offices in San Diego, CA, and Taipei, Taiwan with a Design Center in Shenzhen, China. Investors in the company are top-tier venture capital firms including Kodiak Venture Partners and CMEA Ventures, among others. Additional information is available at www.symwave.com.